UI renews altered dining contract with Sodexo
BOISE — Sodexo will once again provide dining services for the University of Idaho, after the Idaho State Board of Education unanimously approved a contract renewal Thursday.
George Wood Jr. | Argonaut From left, UI Vice President of Finance and Administration Ron Smith, General Counsel Kent Nelson, President Chuck Staben, Interim Provost Katherine Aiken and Vice Provost for Student Affairs Jean Kim wait for their turn to present a slew of proposals to the SBOE.
Julia McIlroy, UI director of purchasing services staff, said the old contract expires June 30 and the new five-year contract with Sodexo is slated to begin July 1.
“The new contract, operationally speaking, will look and feel very similar to the previous five-year agreement,” McIlroy said
But there are some significant changes to the contractual pay structure, according to UI Enterprise Accountant Gwen Kyllo.
Kyllo said the previous contract established a tiered revenue pay structure where UI paid Sodexo a certain percentage based on the amount of revenue the company collected in a two-week pay period.
The new contract simplifies the pay structure by sticking to a concrete percentage to calculate what UI would pay Sodexo in a pay period. For the first three years of the contract, UI will pay Sodexo 81 percent of the revenue Sodexo accumulates in a pay period and 82 percent in the final two years of the contract.
Kyllo said the 81-82 percent given to Sodexo would cover Sodexo’s operational costs and the cost of food, and the 18-19 percent UI retains pays for rental expenses, utilities and administrative salaries. She said UI’s 18-19 percent would also generate about $100,000 annually to pay for equipment.
UI Vice President for Finance and Administration Ron Smith, who presented the new contract to the SBOE for approval, said the new pay structure has the potential to allot funds in a way that would cover upgrades to university facilities.
Smith said upgrades could include installing a gas line in Bob’s Place to save money on utility costs, and upgrading equipment in the Vandal Card office.
McIlroy also said the contract included a renewed priority in making Sodexo’s practices more sustainable.
“Sodexo and UI have made an even larger commitment to sustainability and using regionally grown produce and food,” McIlroy said.
Kyllo said the new contract creates an internship position responsible for tracking the amount of local and regional food purchases made. The contract also plans for a collaboration with the UI College of Business to create a class dedicated to tracking Sodexo’s utilization of local food purchases.
“Sodexo will also offer a zero waste catering alternative that, for an additional fee, Sodexo will cater using compostable items that reduce the amount of waste in lieu of a less sustainable option,” McIlroy said.
The new contract will also replace the former flex dollar system attributed to the residence hall campus dining plans, and institute a “Vandal Dollar” system, McIlroy said.
Flex dollars are restricted to different Vandal Dining options on campus such as the 6th Street Market, Denny’s, Bob’s and the Idaho Commons dining options, McIlroy said. Vandal dollars could be used at the same stores and additionally at campus vending machines and the VandalStore.
George Wood Jr. can be reached at [email protected]